Novel Risk Assessment Methods

In my current role as a Pharmacokinetics Research Scientist in the New Toxicology Evaluations Section of California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), I am conducting original research into the development and application of novel risk assessment methods that augment the agency’s ability to perform timely evaluations of unassessed chemicals that have little or not toxicology testing in laboratory animals; serve as a subject-matter expert in pharmacokinetics; apply new computational-toxicology approaches to develop hazard and dose-response assessments that can support regulatory standards for unassessed chemicals and chemical groups that are of high priority or emerging interest to California state agencies; and establish collaborations with academic researchers on the development and refinement of novel risk assessment methods that use new approach methods.

If you are unable to access any of the publications via their links below, please email me and I’ll send you the full texts. #OpenScience

Microplastics in Drinking Water

I previously served [2019 to 2024] as the lead scientist in California’s implementation of SB 1422- Microplastics in drinking water. Some notable reports and publications related to this project are listed below.

  • Sherrod, Hannah, Nicholas Leong, Hannah Hapich, Fabian Gomez, Shelly Moore, Ben Maurer, Scott Coffin, et al. “One4All: An Open Source Portal to Validate and ShareMicroplastics Data and Beyond.” Journal of Open Source Software 9, no. 99 (July 16, 2024): 6715. Full Text

  • Coffin, S., Bouwmeester, H., Brander, S. et al. “Development and application of a health-based framework for informing regulatory action in relation to exposure of microplastic particles in California drinking water”. Microplastics & Nanoplastics 2, 12 (2022). Full text

  • Martindale, S., Weisberg, S. B., & Coffin, S. (2020). Status of Legislation and Regulatory Drivers for Microplastics in California. HORBIA Readout. Full text

  • Coffin, S. (2020). “Staff Report - Proposed Definition of ‘Microplastics in Drinking Water’ (June 3, 2020).” Full text

(Micro)-Plastic Policy

  • Eriksen M, Cowger W, Erdle LM, Coffin S, Villarrubia-Gómez P, et al. (2023). “A growing plastic smog, now estimated to be over 170 trillion plastic particles afloat in the world’s oceans—Urgent solutions required.” PLOS ONE 18(3): e0281596. Full text

  • Coffin, S. “The emergence of microplastics: charting the path from research to regulations.” Environmental Science Advances. (2023). Full text

  • Coffin, S. (March/April 2022). “Accounting for Plastic’s True Costs.” The Environmental Forum. Full Text

  • Coffin, S., Wyer, H., & Leapman, J. C. (2021). “Addressing the environmental and health impacts of microplastics requires open collaboration between diverse sectors.” PLOS BIOLOGY, 15. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Weisberg, S.B. “Understanding health effects pathways and thresholds: filling a critical need to support microplastics management.” Microplastics & Nanoplastics 2, 11 (2022). Full text

  • Wyer, H., Polhemus, D., Moore, S., Weisberg, S. B., Coffin, S., & Rochman, C. M. (2020). “Steps Scientists Can Take to Inform Aquatic Microplastics Management: A Perspective Informed by the California Experience.” Applied Spectroscopy, 74(9), 971–975. Full Text

Ecotoxicology (Risk Assessment)

I am currently co-leading a large international working group that is updating the Toxicity of Microplastics Explorer App (ToMEx) with published laboratory hazard studies. In early 2025, our group will release the updated version of ToMEx (2.0), more than doubling the database from the initial version. We will also be publishing a number of meta-analyses related to this work, including an analysis of study quality, predictive modelling of ecotoxicity, and a probabilistic eco-toxicological risk assessment. Stay tuned here!

Recent publications related to my previous work on this topic are listed below:

  • Koelmans, Albert A., Todd Gouin, Alvine C. Mehinto, and Scott Coffin. “On the Need to Avoid Apple-to-Orange Comparisons in Microplastic Research.” Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 81, no. 7 (July 1, 2024): 968–71. Full Text.

  • Coffin, S., Weisberg, S.B., Rochman, C., Kooi, M. and Koelmans, A.A., 2022. “Risk Characterization of Microplastics in San Francisco Bay, California.” Microplastics & Nanoplastics. Full text

  • Mehinto, A.C., Coffin, S., Koelmans, A.A. et al. “Risk-based management framework for microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.” Microplastics & Nanoplastics 2, 17 (2022). Full text

  • Thornton Hampton, L.M., Bouwmeester, H., Brander, S.M. et al. “Research recommendations to better understand the potential health impacts of microplastics to humans and aquatic ecosystems.” Microplastics & Nanoplastics 2, 18 (2022). Full text

  • Thornton Hampton, L.M., Lowman, H., Coffin, S. et al. “A living tool for the continued exploration of microplastic toxicity.” Microplastics & Nanoplastics 2, 13 (2022). Full text

Ecotoxicology (Experimentation)

My primary area of study for my PhD was in determining the ability for plastic to transfer contaminants to biota using bioanalytical screening tools, analytical chemistry, biomimetic models, Japanese medaka and White seabass fish, and computer simulations. Some notable publications related to this work are listed below:

  • Elko, N., Foster, D., Kleinheinz, G., Raubenheimer, B., Brander, S., Kinzelman, J., Kritzer, J.P., Munroe, D., Storlazzi, C., Sutula, M., Mercer, A., Coffin, S., Fraioli, C., Ginger, L., Morrison, E., Parent-Doliner, G., Akan, C., Canestrelli, A., DiBenedetto, M., Lang, J., and Simm, J., 2021. “Human and Ecosystem Health in Coastal Systems”, Shore & Beach, 90(1), pg 64-91. Full Text

  • Coffin, S., Magnuson, J. T., Vliet, S. M. F., Volz, D. C., & Schlenk, D. (2020). “Effects of short-term exposure to environmentally-relevant concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene-sorbed polystyrene to White seabass (Atractoscion nobilis).” Environmental Pollution, 263, 114617. Full Text

  • Coffin, S. (2018). “Plastic as a Vector for Pollutants in Estuarine and Marine Environments” [University of California, Riverside]. Full Text

  • Moreira, L. B., Diamante, G., Giroux, M., Coffin, S., Xu, E. G., Moledo de Souza Abessa, D., & Schlenk, D. (2018). “Impacts of salinity and temperature on the thyroidogenic effects of the biocide diuron in Menidia beryllina.” Environmental Science & Technology, 52(5), 3146–3155. Full Text

  • Wang, J., Coffin, S., Schlenk, D., & Gan, J. (2020). “Accumulation of HOCs via Precontaminated Microplastics by Earthworm Eisenia fetida in Soil.” Environmental Science & Technology. Full Text

  • Wang, J., Coffin, S., Sun, C., Schlenk, D., & Gan, J. (2019). “Negligible effects of microplastics on animal fitness and HOC bioaccumulation in earthworm Eisenia fetida in soil.” Environmental Pollution, 249, 776–784. Full Text

Bioanalytical screening tools

During graduate school, I collaborated on a number of projects using bioanalytical tools. Some notable publications are listed below:

  • Coffin, S., Dudley, S., Taylor, A., Wolf, D., Wang, J., Lee, I., & Schlenk, D. (2018). “Comparisons of analytical chemistry and biological activities of extracts from North Pacific gyre plastics with UV-treated and untreated plastics using in vitro and in vivo models.” Environment International, 121, 942–954. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Huang, G.-Y., Lee, I., & Schlenk, D. (2019). “Fish and Seabird Gut Conditions Enhance Desorption of Estrogenic Chemicals from Commonly-Ingested Plastic Items.” Environmental Science & Technology, 53(8), 4588–4599. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Lee, I., Gan, J., & Schlenk, D. (2019). “Simulated digestion of polystyrene foam enhances desorption of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and In vitro estrogenic activity in a size-dependent manner.” Environmental Pollution, 246, 452–462. Full text

  • Huang, Y., Kong, M., Coffin, S., Cochran, K. H., Westerman, D. C., Schlenk, D., Richardson, S. D., Lei, L., & Dionysiou, D. D. (2020). “Degradation of contaminants of emerging concern by UV/H2O2 for water reuse: Kinetics, mechanisms, and cytotoxicity analysis.” Water Research, 174, 115587. Full text

  • Huang, Y., Kong, M., Westerman, D., Xu, E. G., Coffin, S., Cochran, K. H., Liu, Y., Richardson, S. D., Schlenk, D., & Dionysiou, D. D. (2018). “Effects of HCO3– on Degradation of Toxic Contaminants of Emerging Concern by UV/NO3–.” Environmental Science & Technology, 52(21), 12697–12707. Full text

  • Huang, Y., Liu, Y., Kong, M., Xu, E. G., Coffin, S., Schlenk, D., & Dionysiou, D. D. (2018). “Efficient degradation of cytotoxic contaminants of emerging concern by UV/H2O2.” Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 4(9), 1272–1281.Full text

Additional Publications

  • Coffin, S. (2018). Plastic as a Vector for Pollutants in Estuarine and Marine Environments [University of California, Riverside]. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Dudley, S., Taylor, A., Wolf, D., Wang, J., Lee, I., & Schlenk, D. (2018). Comparisons of analytical chemistry and biological activities of extracts from North Pacific gyre plastics with UV-treated and untreated plastics using in vitro and in vivo models. Environment International, 121, 942–954. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Gan, J., & Schlenk, D. (2017). Comparisons of field and laboratory estimates of risk of DDTs from contaminated sediments to humans that consume fish in Palos Verdes, California, USA. Science of the Total Environment, 601, 1139–1146.Full text

  • Coffin, S., Huang, G.-Y., Lee, I., & Schlenk, D. (2019). Fish and Seabird Gut Conditions Enhance Desorption of Estrogenic Chemicals from Commonly-Ingested Plastic Items. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(8), 4588–4599. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Lee, I., Gan, J., & Schlenk, D. (2019). Simulated digestion of polystyrene foam enhances desorption of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and In vitro estrogenic activity in a size-dependent manner. Environmental Pollution, 246, 452–462. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Magnuson, J. T., Vliet, S. M. F., Volz, D. C., & Schlenk, D. (2020). Effects of short-term exposure to environmentally-relevant concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene-sorbed polystyrene to White seabass (Atractoscion nobilis)☆. Environmental Pollution, 263, 114617. Full text

  • Coffin, S., Wyer, H., & Leapman, J. C. (2021). Addressing the environmental and health impacts of microplastics requires open collaboration between diverse sectors. PLOS BIOLOGY, 15. Full text

  • Grønnestad, R., Schlenk, D., Krøkje, Å., Jaspers, V. L. B., Jenssen, B. M., Coffin, S., Bertotto, L. B., Giroux, M., Lyche, J. L., & Arukwe, A. (2020). Alteration of neuro-dopamine and steroid hormone homeostasis in wild Bank voles in relation to tissue concentrations of PFAS at a Nordic skiing area. Science of The Total Environment, 143745. Full text

  • Huang, Y., Kong, M., Coffin, S., Cochran, K. H., Westerman, D. C., Schlenk, D., Richardson, S. D., Lei, L., & Dionysiou, D. D. (2020). Degradation of contaminants of emerging concern by UV/H2O2 for water reuse: Kinetics, mechanisms, and cytotoxicity analysis. Water Research, 174, 115587. Full text

  • Huang, Y., Kong, M., Westerman, D., Xu, E. G., Coffin, S., Cochran, K. H., Liu, Y., Richardson, S. D., Schlenk, D., & Dionysiou, D. D. (2018). Effects of HCO3– on Degradation of Toxic Contaminants of Emerging Concern by UV/NO3–. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(21), 12697–12707. Full text

  • Huang, Y., Liu, Y., Kong, M., Xu, E. G., Coffin, S., Schlenk, D., & Dionysiou, D. D. (2018). Efficient degradation of cytotoxic contaminants of emerging concern by UV/H 2 O 2. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 4(9), 1272–1281. Full text

  • Li, S., Jiang, Y., Sun, Q., Coffin, S., Chen, L., Qiao, K., Gui, W., & Zhu, G. (2020). Tebuconazole induced oxidative stress related hepatotoxicity in adult and larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). Chemosphere, 241, 125129. Full text

  • Li, S., Qiao, K., Jiang, Y., Wu, Q., Coffin, S., Gui, W., & Zhu, G. (2019). Disruptive effects of two organotin pesticides on the thyroid signaling pathway in Xenopus laevis during metamorphosis. Science of The Total Environment, 697, 134140. Full text

  • Li, S., Wu, Q., Sun, Q., Coffin, S., Gui, W., & Zhu, G. (2019). Parental exposure to tebuconazole causes thyroid endocrine disruption in zebrafish and developmental toxicity in offspring. Aquatic Toxicology, 211, 116–123. Full text

  • Martindale, S., Weisberg, S. B., & Coffin, S. (2020). Status of Legislation and Regulatory Drivers for Microplastics in California. HORBIA Readout. Full text

  • Moreira, L. B., Diamante, G., Giroux, M., Coffin, S., Xu, E. G., Moledo de Souza Abessa, D., & Schlenk, D. (2018). Impacts of salinity and temperature on the thyroidogenic effects of the biocide diuron in Menidia beryllina. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(5), 3146–3155. Full text

  • Wang, J., Coffin, S., Schlenk, D., & Gan, J. (2020). Accumulation of HOCs via Precontaminated Microplastics by Earthworm Eisenia fetida in Soil. Environmental Science & Technology, acs.est.0c02922. Full text

  • Wang, J., Coffin, S., Sun, C., Schlenk, D., & Gan, J. (2019). Negligible effects of microplastics on animal fitness and HOC bioaccumulation in earthworm Eisenia fetida in soil. Environmental Pollution, 249, 776–784. Full text

  • Wyer, H., Polhemus, D., Moore, S., Weisberg, S. B., Coffin, S., & Rochman, C. M. (2020). Steps Scientists Can Take to Inform Aquatic Microplastics Management: A Perspective Informed by the California Experience. Applied Spectroscopy, 74(9), 971–975. Full text